Casa Macaya’s regal main entrance
A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to attend a gathering of architectural bloggers for a guided tour of Casa Macaya, a modernist building on Passeig de Sant Joan 108, which has recently been restored and reopened to the public. It is a true gem of the Modernista style and was designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch, one of Barcelona’s great architects of that period.
Grand in every way, even underneath
Richly adorned with detailing in materials and styles typical of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there is one in particular which I found delightful, and it is the depiction of the architect on a bicycle (below). For this is the mode of transport he chose to use while travelling between the sites of Casa Macaya and Casa Amatller (on Passeig de Gràcia) which were being constructed at the same time, and which show certain similarities.
Cycling was the way forward… even then!
Other details include gorgeous sgraffiti, ornate carvings around windows, doorways, pillar bases and tops, and the base of the staircase that goes to the first floor, as well as wrought iron railings, balcony supports and window grilles…
